Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1887-01-22
THE KNIGHTS UF LABOR.

As will be seen by the daily papers
there appears to be a crisis in the
affairs of the Knights of Labor. Some
of the ne " spspers in commenting on
the fact deplore it, but the N. Y. Her.
aid thinks little fighting, elimination
and e-crimination. in the order will do
it good, and that 1t will emerge from
the smoke of battle like the atmosphere
after summer thunder shower, rare
fled and purified. As in most cases, a
happy medium between these opinions
would, it seems to us, best subserve
the good of the order.
No one can doubt the privilege of the
laboring part OF the people to unite to
protect their rights and ameliorate
their condition, any more than he
would question the right Of bankers,
lawyers or merchants to associate
themselves together for the same pur-
pose. Neither can any fair minded
person question the Rdvisability of such
organization. Because there have been
wrong acts done in the name of this
association, and mistakes made, is no
reason to think that it should not ex-
ist. The effort in its present scope is a
new one. 1t involves q great many
men, numbers of them ignorant and
easily led by demsgogues and crimi-
nally inclined persons into censurable
acts.
The real workingman, the man who
labors for family and home, is not dis
honest. He will soon assert himself in
the labor movement and thrust aside
the political selt-seeker, tine socialist
and the anarchist, or he will abandon
the organization as it now exists.
The trouble 80 tar has been, that in
the impetuosity OF a revolution The
ignorance OF the order has been per
mitted to lead rather than Its intelli
gence For instance, it W i'll be remeln
bered that in the Missouri Pacific strike
at the beginning nearly everybody
sympathized with the strikers. Natur
ally 80. Let there be difference be
tween railroad and its employees, ant
at once the public arrays itself Oh th,
side of the employees. This is because
the American people are throughout {
working people. But when the causes
OF the difference appear, Americans ar
also fair people. They are fearlessl
so, and decide upon the merits of tn
case. So in the Missouri Pacific strik
the public soon came to the conclusio
that it was based on frivolous reason
and unjust grounds The momer
this conclusion was reached sounde
the death knell of the strike. And S
of the other strikes led by district ~
semblies, which have tailed-the
would not stand the crucial test of di
cussion.
Many people reason from this th'
, the society should die. This is NJ
just, nor is it sensible. If it di'
something else will have to take i
place, and whatever it ia will have
go through the same course of exper
D ments and mistakes and failures thl
this society has met. The honest CAP
D talist is rs much interested In the su
cess of the Knights OF Labor as is Il
0 workingmsn, because success will on
come when it is mer,ted.
While the knights have been unfo
tunate in their Martin Irons in Mi
0 souri,, and their anarchists in Chicag
0 they are peculiarly fortunate in the
great leader, Terence V. Powderl
who is cool-hesded, brave and hone
man.
Let them stand by him. Let the
N Danish oath-bound secrecy. Let the
q everywhere cut loose from anarch
and socislistic influences. Let the
abjure strikes, except as last Al
most desperate resort, and then on
after full consultation with the he
e of the order. Let them Danish t
boycott, an un-Americsn weapo
which however fair it may appear al
70 retaliatory measure leads beyond
intended purpose; and last, but l.
least, let them, as an organizatio
: keep out of partisan politics.
J. The order is strongest in the
cities. Its experiences with NJ
George in New York, and Mr.. ONE
al in Boston, should show them tt
le there is little to hope for in that dir
q ton.
In everything they do and say
knights should be moderate and re,
:, enable. With patience, pruden
" federation and obedience to law,
order will emerge from its present di
culties stronger and better than it e,
"a was With violence in act and ls
at guage, intoler snce of discussion q
IN criticism, aud or other labor organ;
>. tions, it will as certainly march on
" disintegration.
The only appeal that can permene
ly be heard in free and intelIig
< community is one which is ba
is, upon reason and justice. The
ar therefore. with poiitensss and cons
GRAFTON in discussion should be dilige
10 ly and psrsistently inculcated.
j. -.-
a Senator Sherman may always
counted on the eide of the monopol
T. He spoke against the Reagan Cull
e. bill.
I'll Mr.. Hoar said he feared from the +
oi road till even hi her rates. In TACT
H. Hoar feared for investors reduced p
its Mr.. H0ar is sleek one. He is
Pecksmff of the senate Ii is sucl
he that sneer at the O'Briens and
. O'Neills OF Boston. But one OBI
- with his sturdy honesty and o
N fairness, is worth a thousand Pe
shifts.
lay The United States senate, on
Friday, passed the conference CO
mittee's agreement on the Reag
n "